In any retail business one of the factors that effects the purchase price charged to the consumer is the shipping or distribution cost. This cost which varies depending upon, among other things, the method of transportation used and the speed of delivery can have an impact not only on the purchase price but also on the ability to make the sale and the degree of customer satisfaction.
In the era of “just-in-time” inventory and delivery, it has become imperative that goods be shipped as quickly and economically as possible. This has resulted in a highly competitive overnight delivery industry that allows retailers to deliver goods to the consumer in one or two days.
A limitation imposed by overnight delivery companies, however, involves the size of the containers in which goods can be shipped overnight. This size constraint, although necessary to allow container handling by one person, creates a problem for sellers of goods such as furniture that do not fit in a container that satisfies the requirements for overnight delivery. Given the container size limitation imposed by overnight deliver companies, a packaging method and apparatus that would allow shippers of goods such as furniture to take advantage of the cost savings and customer satisfaction generated by being able to ship overnight would be an important improvement in the art.